


Faith

by zimothy (orphan_account)



Series: Random Short Stories [3]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Captivity, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-25
Updated: 2012-02-25
Packaged: 2017-10-31 17:28:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/346617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/zimothy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Charles, look at me.” Erik barked, hands wrapping around the smaller man’s head and forcing it back. “We’re going to survive this, don’t you dare give in - don’t you /dare/.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Faith

“Erik, I can’t do this, not anymore.” Charles babbled, tears gathering in the edges of his eyes, rimmed as red as the blood trickling from his split lip. “The children,” He gasped, “They won’t even tell me where the children are.” His thinning hands were grasping firmly to Erik’s forearms, blood encrusted in his fingernails from where he’d dug crescents into the skin of his head from the session he’d just come from.  There were strips of flesh burned raw on each temple - evidence of the shoddy Cerebro immitation that the government had come up with - and bags under each of his eyes that added to the sallow look on Charles’ bruise-littered face.

Erik felt frustration and anger welling in his gut as Charles bordered on collapsing in his arms, regardless of the room filled with other mutants like them. Charles ducked his head, choking on a sob and clenching his eyes shut. “I’m - I can’t do this anymore, Erik. I can’t just let them hurt us. I just, I have to tell them where Cerebro is, if they can use it, it won’t hurt as much and maybe they’ll be kinder and-“

Hearing Charles Xavier give in was like a slap to the face, and Erik tore his arms from Charles’ hold to clasp firmly at his chin with a near-painful grip. “Charles, open your eyes.” He rasped, voice hoarse from all the screaming he’d done the night before when they’d electrocuted him endlessly in an attempt to utilize his powers. Charles pursed his lips, shoulders trembling. His bare chest heaved with each attempt to muffle a sob, pale skin darkened from abrasions and contusions that varied from dark purple to a disgusting greenish yellow.

“Charles, look at me.” Erik barked, hands wrapping around the smaller man’s head and forcing it back. “We’re going to survive this, don’t you dare give in - don’t you _dare._ ” His voice was venomous, filled with a conviction that Erik didn’t even know he had. Charles’ eyes snapped open to lock with his friend’s, searching Erik for the resolve he couldn’t seem to find in himself.

Erik leaned forward, forehead tapping against Charles’. “I lived through this a lifetime ago as a _child_ , Charles. Alone. You have me, you have all of us. Don’t give in. You **can’t**.” With each word that slipped from Erik’s mouth, Charles’ eyes watered until tears were spilling over the edges, dripping onto his cheeks unbidden - given that the telepath refused to close his eyes and break off the only connection he had left with his friend.

Charles released a shaking, watery breath (which made Erik hope fiercely that it wasn’t from blood in his lungs) and reached up to mimick Erik’s hold, trembling hands clinging to the taller man’s face and neck. His pale eyes fell shut, forcing out the last of the tears as Charles swallowed heavily and nodded against Erik’s forehead.

“You’re right.” He whispered hoarsely, “I’m so sorry, Erik.”

Erik slid his arms around Charles’ shoulders, dragging his thin (too thin, much too thin) body into an embrace. Charles released a strangled sound in the back of his throat, arms wrapping behind Erik’s neck and holding him like the man was his only lifeline. Around them, the other mutants tittered before Charles and Erik found themselves crushed in a sea of bodies, arms and hands reaching out to hold, touch, pet, _assure_ the two mutants that had kept them alive this long.

Charles sobbed a tired laugh into the hollow of Erik’s naked shoulder, clinging that much tighter as hope started to spark back to life somewhere deep in his chest.


End file.
